So, I have 1 more P-day after today here at the MTC, so no need to worry about me not writing again before I become a Mexican (mom). Glad to hear everyone is doing well. I am actually pretty sure I saw Jessica practicing a couple of days ago when I got on a bus that was supposed to go to main campus and it went to BYU instead. This particular trip, although very fun, made me miss choir again. Bleh. I haven't been able to sing in the choir yet at the MTC! I do quite a lot of singing anyway, however. Just random things. Some of the people here actually refer to me as Elder Jukebox. This makes me happy. I love music!
So, in this email I will tell you all a couple of funny things that happened this week.
First, my other companion, Elder H, got to speak in church. He did really well, and the entire thing was in Spanish AND understandable. I was not, however, sick for this meeting, which was nice. No, what was amusing about this meeting was that our branch president spent the entire meeting sleeping…also his first counselor…and one of our two zone leaders. Three of the five people who remained on the stand for the entire meeting were awake for none of it. Elder J attempted to take a selfie with the sleepers but decided against it because you aren't supposed to take pictures in the chapel. Elder J kept referring to our branch president as "The Holy Grail Of Sleeping Selfies!" Needless to say, our district found this very amusing. After the meeting ended and everyone woke up, I walked up to the branch president and requested to be chosen to give a talk at the next opportunity. He said, “Elder, be careful what you wish for.” I guess he didn't think I was serious. I want all 3 people in my companionship to have spoken at the MTC, and I am the only one left who hasn’t. I want to give a talk, which I have to admit feels strange.
This next story happened at volleyball. Elder R and I were on splits so that we could play volleyball, because everyone else was at soccer or basketball. We were playing with 7 of the hermanas (sisters) from our zone, as well as a couple of guys from other zones. I have discovered that I can serve better by throwing the ball into the air and punching it (both actions performed by my right hand) than serving it normally. Also, I cannot even hit the ball when I try to overhand it. But, during one volley, the ball comes over the net, and me and this Philippine elder I was playing with both go for it. We are both looking up, and of course we slam right into each other. On our way away from each other (because we hit so hard) we grab hands and manage to hit the volleyball. It goes back over the net. After this I feel kind of out of it, because we knocked heads, and we both have pretty hard ones. But of course, that doesn't get to be the most exciting part of the game. Not even close. The most exciting part was when I saw a ball coming from another court. So, watching the ball, I walked over to catch it and throw it back to the correct court. Little did I know, that the hermana who had hit said ball my way was following the ball and that she was also a large Hawaiian hermana from my district. She was also watching the ball and not where she was going. (If you think you know where this is going, prepare to be a little surprised.) I caught the ball, but then all of a sudden something happens. At the time I had absolutely no idea what, but it was explained to me afterwards. Immediately after I caught that ball, the hermana that had been following it body slams into me. This would not normally be a problem, but there was another heramana, also from my district, standing right behind me. So Hermana G slams into me, I slam into Hermana E, and for a split second I know that I have been sandwiched between two heramanas and that it has to be a violation of page 33 or 34 in the missionary handbook. As a result of said 'encounter' Hermana E ends up on the ground. I end up crouched over her. And Hermana G is the only one left standing. I was absolutely sure I was going home for the next twenty minutes, but it turns out that I am considered the victim in the encounter, so I am good. Elder R, who I was with, ended up just laughing at me for a good while, but it was all in good fun.
The next experience has to do with soccer. My zone likes soccer, and we play it a lot. I always play defender. They consider me the best defender in the MTC. I know! What an accomplishment, right? But the reason I say this is because of how Elder W explained to me how I play soccer. Here goes: (and this is a conversation, so bear with me.)
"The way you play soccer is so funny!"
"Huh?"
"Yeah, the way you defend is hilarious Elder Scott."
"How do I defend?"
“Ok, so you are standing there, the elder with the ball starts dribbling toward the goal, and you walk up to him. Then you stop. Then it looks like the elder with the ball hands you it, then trips."
(now keep in mind that Elder Webb was laughing this whole time)
"And I would say it was something like luck, but it happens every time."
So I found out that my tactic for defense was to stop moving. Apparently it is very effective. We play ball a lot, and I have observed myself and I really do just stop moving, I somehow get the ball, and then the person dribbling and running with it usually trips. I don’t try to trip them and don’t think I’m doing anything to trip them. It just happens.
My favorite thing that actually happened during soccer was one such experience. There were some new Elders in this day, and they were trying to show off and show how much better they were than everyone else. As you are aware, I am a rather solid person. I was playing defender, and I did what I always do, which is run up, stop moving, and then get the ball. But this elder doesn't react like everyone else does; he tackles me and bounces off, ending up in the dirt. When I tried to help him up, he brushes me off and tells me I shouldn't be tackling people. I felt kind of bad about it, but I was a little mad that he accused me of tackling him. About five minutes later in the same game a ball comes flying in from the other side of the field, so I decide to punt it back. I overrun it and turn around in order to be able to hit it. I kick it, and then I feel something slam into my back—the same elder. He is in the dirt again. I try to help him up, and he brushes me off. I tell him he should probably stop running into me, but he speaks to me venomously about me needing to stop running into him. So I ask him how I generated enough speed without moving, to hit him with my back and knock him down. He then went and played Goalie. This particular match was bad because, as I said earlier, it was a bunch of new Elders who were trying to prove themselves, and they were playing dirty. Their goal got 'stuck' at half the size of ours for instance. It was all right though, because my zone had fun.
The next experience happened at Basketball. I played basketball once. The games are 3 on 3 half court only. I spent the entire game trying to get out of the way of my teammates because I couldn't remember how to play basketball. I shot once, and it went in. That was the only shot that went in for the entire game for my team. We were destroyed. I found this rather funny because when they asked me to play because they needed another player, I warned them that I couldn't play, but they didn’t believe me. They believe me now. Muahahaha! I spent the entire game trying unsuccessfully to get out of my teammates’ way, laughing the entire time. Way fun!
Next experience: Like I said, I do quite a bit of singing here. Being able to make people a little bit more happy makes my day. I finally met a hermana who I could not please with my song, due to her hatred of the music of Josh Groban and my inability to sing any songs that she wanted to hear because she liked a bunch of fringe music from bands I have never even heard of. That was a little sad for me, but I still got to brighten a lot of days with other songs I can sing. I have two crowd pleasers that always work; take on me (just the chorus) and Grace Kelly. I spend lots of time getting requests to sing songs from people I don't know as I walk around, also to beat box. We as a zone found out that Elder B can do a crazy House beat (watch a movie or something where there's a party going on at a teenagers house and the parents come home early, that deep thrumming bass and notes in a rhythm). After devotionals and during bus rides we kind of have jam sessions. We all sing whatever we want, do beats, the works. It is really fun. The devotionals are always really good too.
OK, here is something I think they should warn missionaries about before they get to the MTC. All of the hermanas here are stinking GORGEOUS. How is that fair? We Elders are not allowed to date! We are on missions! They should not be allowed to be so pretty, funny, cute, or whatever else they are because it makes talking to them without flirting extremely difficult. I will survive, though. ;)
I will admit I am jealous that the girls got an Impala. But I will live because I know what I am doing right now is so much cooler than anything they can hope to accomplish with that car. ;)-
I love you guys, and I am doing great here. Cannot wait to get to Mexico. I am very excited!
Love,
Elder Scott
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